Black-out vent for photographic darkroom and the like



May '12, 1959 F. J. SCALLQN 1 5,

BLACK-OUT VENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC DARKROOM AND THE LIKE Filed April 24. 1956 IN V EN TOR.

Wank J JcaZZon ATTORNEYS United States Patent ice BLACK-OUT VENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC DARKROOM AND THE LIKE Frank J. Scallon, Nor-walk, Conn.

Application April 24, 1956, Serial No. 580,271

2 Claims. (Cl. 98-37) This invention relates to a ventilating device and more particularly to a black-out ventilating means.

Heretofore, black-out ventilating devices have been primarily utilized on board ship, usually in time of war where ventilation was desirable, but the escape of light through the ventilating openings was undesirable and con sisted of heavy, bulky and relatively rugged construction which was specifically adapted for use on board ship, and expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, such construction was not practical for use in a building structure, as for example a photographic darkroom or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a relatively simple, small, lightweight, ventilating device for use in building structures to permit air to pass therethrough to ventilate a particular area, while at the same time preventing the passage of light therethrough.

Another object of this invention is to provide a blackout ventilating device for ventilating a darkroom or the like providing for free circulation of air, while at the same time preventing the entrance of both light rays and foreign matter from entering therethrough.

Another object of this invention is to provide a blackout ventilating means which is made of relatively very few component parts which may be quickly and easily assembled and which will effectively provide sufficient ventilation while at the same time obstructing and/or absorbing any light rays tending to pass therethrough.

The object of this invention are accomplished by a ventilating means comprising a sleeve having disposed therein a plurality of separate and independent baflle members which are frictionally secured within the sleeve in spaced relationship relative to each other in such a manner so as to permit free circulation of air, while at the same time obstructing and/or absorbing the passage of any light therethrough. To prevent any foreign particles from passing therethrough, a screening means is provided adjacent the one end of the sleeve. Means are further provided whereby the sleeve, as a unit, may be firmly and positively secured in the vent opening of the wall receiving the device.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision that the component parts of the ventilating device are composed of a relatively lightweight, thin gauge material, such as aluminum or the like, whereby the component parts may be assembled simply and quickly to form a sturdy and rigid structure.

Another feature of this device resides in the provision that the ventilating means is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and positive in operation.

Other features and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims when considered in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of the improved ventilating device.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of the device taken along line Z-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the baifle structure according to this invention.

2,885,940 Patented May 12 1959 While it will be understood that the particular configuration of the black-out ventilating means according to this invention may be of any suitable size or shape, as herein illustrated, the black-out ventilating device comprises a cylindrical sleeve 10 which is adapted to fit an opening 11 in the wall portion 12 of a building structure, e.g. a photographic darkroom or other building enclosure in which ventilation is desirable and the passage or entrance of light is undesirable. Accordingly, the sleeve 10 comprises an annular collar 13 having a laterally extending rolled flange 14 adjacent one end thereof which is adapted to abut the wall portion 12 of the building,

structure around the vent opening 11 receiving the collar. As shown in Fig. 2, the end portion 14a of the flange is rolled so as to be reversely bent so that the flange is provided with an annular space for receiving a screen 15 to prevent insects and other foreign matter from entering through the ventilating device as the air is ventilated therethrough, the marginal portions of the screen being fitted in the annular space of the rolled flange. To firmly secure the screen 15 in place, the edge 14b of the reversely bent portion 14a of the flange extends slightly beyond the collar of the sleeve and is inwardly bent to wedge the screen between the edge 14b and the collar 13.

As shown in Fig. 2, the collar 13 is also provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, protruding detents 16 to finally secure the collar within the vent opening of the wall.

According to this inveniton, a plurality of baffle means 17 are disposed within the collar portion of the sleeve whereby air is permitted to ventilate therethrough, but the passage of light is obstructed thereby. While any number of battles may be disposed within the sleeve, two such baffles are illustrated. It will be further noted that the.

the sleeve. As shown, the plate of each baflie comprises an imperforate wall portion 18a consuming more than one-half of the area of the said plate 18. The remaining area of the plate forms an opening 18b which is spaced from the outer edge of the plate to allow air to pass therethrough to provide the ventilation Surrounding the outer periphery of the plate 18 and integrally formed therewith, there is provided a laterally extending, relatively narrow flange 19. In assembly, the baffle 17 is slidably and frictionally forced into the collar 13 whereby the flange 19 snugly fits the internal circumference of the collar to hold the bafile in place.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, a first baflie means is positioned within the collar so that the face or imperforate wall portion 18a of the baffle backs up the screen member 15 covering the opening of the ventilating sleeve and forms a braceable support for the screen. The second baflie means is positioned within the collar of the sleeve so that the face portion 18a of it is in abutting position with the edge of the flange of the first baffle means. Therefore, the baffles 17 are positioned within the sleeve so as to be in spaced relationship to each other, the space between the baffles being preferably the width of the flange 19, although the spacing may be varied therefrom if desired. However, by making the flange the width of the desired spacing, the assembly and positioning of the baflles within the sleeve can be automatically compensated for.

According to this invention, the baffles 17 are disposed in the sleeve so that the opening 18b of one of the bafiie members is opposed to the opening 18b of the other bafiie member, i.e. out of phase with the opening of the other baffle, so that the imperforate wall portion 18:: of one baffle is directly in line with the opened area of the other baflie, the greater area of the imperforate wall portion being spacially overlapped at the center portion of the sleeve. Therefore, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that the air entering the opening of the first baflle means is deflected by the imperforate portion of the succeeding baffle to pass through the opening of the second baflle and into the enclosure of the darkroom. Consequently, the light rays which tend to travel in straight lines is not permitted to filter or pass through the ventilating means. In order that the light rays may be absorbed by the ventilating device, the complete structure may be anodized black.

It will be noted that the ventilating device according to this invention is relatively simple in structure, light in weight and easily assembled. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the device provides efficient ventilation and may be easily installed along any portion of a darkroom so that ventilation is readily available where desired by simply cutting a hole in that portion of the wall portion and inserting the ventilating device into said openings. If desired, the second baffle member may be rotatably mounted within the collar portions so that it may be rotated in the manner similar to that of a shutter to permit the entrance of light rays if so desired.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be usedwithout others.

Iclaim: v

1. A ventilating device for use in ventilating a photographic darkroom or the like comprising a sleeve having a collar portion provided with a laterally extending flange around the periphery thereof adjacent one end thereof, said flange having a rolled portion reversely bent to form an annular space; a plurality of circumferentially spaced protruding detents about the collar portion, said collar portion being adapted to be fitted into an opening in a wall portion of said darkroom and firmly secured in place by said detents; a screen having the marginal portions thereof disposed in said annular space in said sleeve flange, said reversely bent portion having the edge portion thereof inwardly bent to secure said screen to said sleeve flange; a first baflle means and a second baflie means disposed in said sleeve, said baflles being similarly constructed and comprising a plate extending across the sleeve and having laterally extending flanges around the periphery thereof, each of said baflies including an imperforate wall portion comprising more than one-half the area of said baflle, the remaining portion of said baflies constituting an opened area, the flanges of said 4 baflles engaging the inner wall of said sleeve and frictionally securing the same in spaced relationship relative to each other within said collar portion, said first baflie engaging and backing up said screen and said second baffle in abutting relationship with said flange of said first baffle whereby said opened areas are oppositely disposed so that no portion of said opened area of one baflle is in direct alignment with any portion of the opened area of said other baflle so that air may ventilate therethrough while obstructing any passage of light therethrough.

2. A ventilating device for use in ventilating a photographic darkroom or the like comprising a sleeve having a laterally extending flange around one end thereof and adapted to be fitted into an opening in a wall portion of the darkroom with the flange engaging the wall, said flange having a reversely bent portion to form an annular space therein with the inturned edge of the flange extending inwardly of the sleeve; a screen having marginal portions disposed in the space in the flange and gripped thereby and the marginal edge of the flange being inwardly bent to engage the screen; a pair of baffle means adapted to be mounted within the sleeve, the first baflle means being disposed adjacent the screen and clamping the screen between the bafile means and the inturned edge portion of the flange, said baflie means including a plate adapted to extend across the sleeve and having an aperture therein adjacent to but inwardly spaced from the edge of the plate and being less than one-half the area of said baffle, the remaining plate being imperforate and having a laterally extending flange around the periphery thereof adapted to frictionally engage thev inner surface of the sleeve and hold the baflle in position; and a second baffle means similar to said first baffle means disposed in said sleeve and abutting the laterally extending flange of the first baflle and having the imperforate portion thereof disposed in opposite relation to the imperforate portion of the first baffle, the flange of the first baflle spacing the wall of the second baflle from the wall of the first baffle to provide an air space whereby air can pass through the ventilator while the baffles obstruct any passage of light therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,640,588 Yager et a1. Aug. 30, 1927 2,337,799 Carver Dec. 28, 1943 2,347,895 Evans May 2, 1944 2,348,886 Dodgson May 16, 1944 2,364,271 Carver Dec. 5, 1954 

